Humility

In the school of Christ,’’ says the devout Archbishop Leighton, “the first lesson of all is *’ humility; yea, it is written above the door, as “the rule of entry or admission. Learn of Me, *«.FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY OF heart!” Humility is a grace that is nearly allied to repentance. Repentance respects the nature and aggravation of sin; humility respects the person and character of the sinner. Humility consists in a just view of our own character and in the disposition to abase ourselves as low as the vilencss of our character requires,

A just view of our own character is a view of it as it actually is. The pride of the human heart, naturally casts a veil over the

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character of man, and aims to conceal liia worthlessness as a creature, and his deformity as a sinner. The humility of the Gospel naturally tlnows aside the veil, and discovers that native worthlessness which ought to sink the creature in the dust, and that moral deformity which ought to cover the sinner with confusion. Genuine humility is inseparably connected with a sense of our dependance, of our unworthines?, and of our ill-desert.

Although dependance, absolute and universal, is necessarily attached to the very being of creatures; yet a sense of this dependence is a most unwelcome visitant to the unhumbled heart. The rjpirit of the carnal mind is an independent spirit. It is a spirit in which the pride of man glories. Though men are creatures of yesterday, and know nothing; though they are upheld by the visitation of God’s arm, and supplied by the beneficence of His hand; they have no apprehendon, that they actually live, and more, and have ihelr being in Him, An abiding sense of His universal presence is what they cannot bear to cherish.

But a sense of perfect dependance is a grateful nest to the broken and contrite heart. To a humbled sinner it is sweet to feel that he is absolutely dependant on God for all that he is, and all that he has. He is sensible that he is nothino-; that he is a wormy and no man. He realizes that God is every where, and that worms and seraphs are alike at His disposal. He feels with Paul, that he is not sufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself; but his sufficiency is of God. Does he enjoy signal favours? he calls to mind, that he enjoys nothing that he has not received. Life, health, as well as the blessings of both, he sees flowing through a thousand channels from the same exuberant source. As the child hangs upon the kindness of its parent, or as the abject poor depend on the daily bounty of their fellow-men; so do the poor in spirit, conscious of their helplessness, wait only upon God, for their expectation is from Him.

With a sense of their dependance, the humble unite a conviction oj their unworthiness. They are unworthy; and they feel that they are so. They are sensible that they are sinners. They have seen the plague of their own hearts. They know, at best, they are unprofitable servants; and at best, ought to be for ever overwhelmed with a sense of their unworthiness. Merit they have none.

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Desert of good is not in all their llioiiglils. Wlw am /, exclaimed the King of Israel, Who am /, O Lord Gody and ivhal is my father’’ s house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? I am not worthy, said the humble Patriarch, / am not northy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant! The people of God need not be told that they have forfeited every favour. Much as they need the divine compassion, they are sensible that they do not, and cannot deserve it. Often as they seek the divine face and favour, they do not seek them as the reward of personal worthiness. They turn theii thoughts inward, and see and feel that they arc less than the least of all saints. They are men pensioners upon sovereign mercy. There wa< no distinguishing excellence in them, that mad( them the objects of favour; there was not tin sihadow of difference in character, which operated as a reason why God should regard them with the special tokens of His love, rather than th(^ most abandoned wretch that ever lived. “Behold, lam vile! Grace hath made me to differ,”’ When they seek the presence of God, they do it with the humble spirit of the Centurion, Lord, I am not WORTHY that Thou shoiddest come under my roof

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When they cast themselves upon the care of their heavenly Father, it is with the spirit of the prodigal, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am kg moke worthy to be called thy son!

In the humble heart, a sense of dependance and unworthiness, is also connected with a sense of ill-desert. Humility holds up to vieAV the bright mirror of God’s holy law. From this faithful glass the character of man is reflected in all its native deformity. Here there is no decej>- tion. The merit and demerit of character are determinately fixed by this impartial standard. Here God has exhibited His right and our oljjigation, His righteousness and our ill-desert. “Weighed in this unerring balance, the character of man is found wanting. It is the character of a transgressor. It is the character of a rebel against the King of Heaven; a character which is condemned, and cursed, and in its own destestable nature deserving everlasting wrath.

Unfeigned humility prompts a man to view bis character as base, and himself as ill-deserving, as t)ie law of God views tlieni. The humbled heart

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knows Ihat the law is holy, and the commandmcnl holy, just, and good. He not only feels that the 7vagcs of sin is death; but approves the law which threatens him with death for every transgression. He not only sees that sin and guilt are inseparably connected; but approves of the Lawgiver for hating and punishing sin according to its desert. He prostrates himself in the dust, and exalts God on the throne. He takes his proper place at the footstool of God’s amiable and awful sovereignty. He knows that he ought to lie as low as vindictive justice can reduce him. He feels that it is of the Lord’s mercies that he is not consumed. Such is his sense of ill-desert, that he not only feels that he is justly condemned; but magnifies the justice that condemns him, while he adores the grace that rescues him from the condemnation.

Such is the view which the humble man takes of his own character. This is to think soberly of himself, and as he ought to think. This is to have just views of his own character, and voluntarily to abase himself as low as the vileness of his character requires him to lie. This is the disposition with which he renounces his own righteousness, and relies on the righteousness of the Lord Jesus

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Christ. Once, the humble man thought little of his own vileness; now, a sense of his vileness covers him with shame. Once, he thought himself rich and increased with goodsy and in need of nothing; now, he sees and feels that he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Once, he was too proud to become a beggar; now, he begs for mercy; begs with hope and with joy in the name of Jesus.

This is the disposition that is interwoven with his experience and his conduct. It manifests itself both toward God, and toward man. Especially does it manifest itself toward God. When thinking of God, when beholding His glorious perfections, when rejoicing in the perfection of His government, and in the excellence of His designs, the humble heart adopts the language of Job, / have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee; wherefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. When thinking of God, he feels the weight of obligation to love and serve Him with all the heart. Hence he is borne down under a sense of his inexcusable deficiencies. A view of his corruption keeps him near to the earth. He is ashamed that he is no more hoi v. How often is he con

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strained to exclaim, *’ O ivrctched man that I am! “Can it be that one who knows no more of the” love of God, who is no more conformed to His image, is in truth His own dear child!’* He desiies to divest himself of all his pride; to empty himself; to feel as nothing, and be as nothing and vanity.

In the more immediate presence of God, the humble Christian remembers that he is a redeemed sinner. When approaching the mercy-seat, lie takes the place of a broken-hearted beggar. He goes to the God of all grace like a man who knows that he deserves to sink into hell. He is ready to bow low before Christ; to wash Hisfett nith his tears, and to wipe them with the hair of his head. Like the woman of Canaan, he begs for the crumbs of divine mercy. He does not desire to plead his own merit, but with a bosom bleeding for sin, and an eye cast down to the earth, makes mention of the name of Jesus* Though at times he is ashamed to approach the throne; though he hardly dare approach; yet like the j)ublican, standing afar off, he does not so much fis lift vp his eyes to heaven, hut smites upon his

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breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinntr. His most favoured moments are those in which he is enabled to lie low before a Holy God, and in which he has increasing desires to be kept humble to the end of his days.

This humble temper of mind also naturally Hows forth in his intercourse with his fcIlow-men, It is true, that some good men have vastly more native haughtiness, vastly more of the over-bearing spirit of the carnal man to struggle with, than others. Notwithstanding this, real Christians are humble; and their humility will necessarily express itself in the modesty and meekness of their habitual deportment. Let nothing, says the Apostle, be done through strife or vain-glory, but in lowlihess of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. The spirit of Christianity is congenial with its precepts, though it is not in the present life perfectly conformed to them. There is such a thing as in honour preferring one another, though we may sometimes be led to imagine that there is not much of it visible. There is such a spirit, and however those who indulge the hope of their good estate may be disposed to shrink from the test, such is the spirit of all Christians,

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Charity, saith the Apostle, vaunteth not of itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemlj/. With a lmin])le frame of inind, a man will set a due value upon his own attainments. He will not be apt 1o think hi;^hly of his own virtues, nor consider himself injured if he is not highly esteemed by others. It is difficult for an unhumbled, self-righteous man not to betray his hypocrisy by being proud of his supposed self-abasement. He has much to say of his frames and experiences; much to boast of the abasing vieAVs which he has had of himself, and the wonderful discoveries in divine things with which he has been favoured. But the truly humbled soul desires more to he humble, than to appear humble. It is no part of his character to make great pretences to humility. There are indeed seasons when he is favoured with unusual manifestations of the divine glory, and abasing views of his own vileness. And he somethnes speaks of them. With modesty he may speak of them. He is not freed from the duty, nor deprived of the privilege of telling what the Lord has done for his soul, merely because the world may brand him with the name of Pharisee. But when he does it, it is that he may strengthen the weak, refresh the weary, cheer the desponding, and give honour to divine grace. He does it, not boastingly, not with the language, God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men I but with the spirit that esteems others better than himself. He knows that he has nothing to be proud of; and that if he is made to differ from others, it becomes him to adopt the language of the Psalmist, rather than that of the Pharisee, Not unto mCy O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name give glory, J or thy mercy and thy trutKs sake!

Something like this is the spirit of the gospel, A sense of dependence, of un worthiness, and of ill-desert, manifesting itself both toward God and toward man, is the spirit of humility. When the Christian, as the elect of God, puts on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, then he exhibits the power and sweetness of vital religion. Seated in the lowest place, and clothed with humility, he exhibits some degree of the amiableness of his Divine Master. Well may we call humility a Heaven-born grace. She is indeed the daughter of the skies, the ‘* meek-eyed child of Jesus,” and dwells only with him, who, like herself, is born from above.

Here then you have a rule of trial. The spirit of humility is conclusive evidence of vital godliness. It enters into the essence of religion. Here the new nature eminently discovers itself. The humble spirit is that child-like, Christ-like temper, which is exclusively the effect of the Almighty power of God upon the heart.

Can the reader lay his hand upon his heart, and say, that he is conscious of this heavenly temper of mind? Can he in the sincerity of his soul, say, that he is conscious of this spirit of voluntary self-abasement? Did he ever, and does he still, take a just view of his ow n character, and does he possess the disposition voluntarily to abase himself, as low as the vileness of his character requires him to lie?

Do you cherish a conviction of your dependence? Or do you live without God in the world? Do you live from day to day, and from year to year, realizing the relation which you bear to the great First Cause? Do you delight to feel that God sees you, and upholds you, and governs you? Or do you banish a sense of your perfect dependence upon Him, and feel, and act, as though

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God had no concern with you, and you had no concern with Him?

Do you cherish a sense of your great unworthiness and ill-desert? Do you feel yourself to be a vile and hateful sinner ‘I What if others should esteem you according to the vileness of your character; would you not view yourself injured? If God should esteem you, and treat you according to the vileness of your character; would you not think it hard and unjust? Should you not murmur and complain?

Is the humble temper of the Gospel interwoven with your religious experience? A savour of humility is diffused throughout all the Christian graces. “Christian affections,” says the immortal Edwards, “Christian affections are like Mary’s “precious ointment, that she poured on Christ’s head, that filled the whole house with a sweet” odour. It was poured out of a broken box; till “the box was broken, the ointment could not flow. So gracious affections flow out of a bro- <’ken heart. Gracious affections are also like «’ those of Mary Magdalene, who also pours” precious ointment on Chri-l out of a broken

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alabast4?r box, anoinling therewith the feet of *’ Jesus, when she had washed them with her tear?, “and wiped tliein with the hair of her head. All” gracious aflertions that are a sweet odour to “Christ, and that fill the soul of a Cljristian with “an heavenly sweetness and fragrancy, are bro-” ken-hearted affections. A truly Christian love, “either to God or men, is a humble, broken-heaii-” ed love. The desires of the saints, however “earnest, are humble desires Their hope is an “humble hope, and their /oy, even when it is un- “speakahle and full of glory, is a humble, broken- ‘’ hearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor” in spirit, and more like a little child, and more “disposed to an universal lowliness of behaviour*.”

Is the humble spirit of the Gospel also interwoven with your habitual deportment? Are you habitually disposed to esteem others better than yourself? or to esteem yourself better than others? Do you rejoice to see others of equal merit with yourself, as much beloved and honoured as you are / And if their merit exceeds your own, are you willing to see them more beloved and honoured than you are? Or are you for ever

* Edwards on tlic Affeciions.

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restless and dissatisfied, because you are not more beloved and honoured than every body else? Do you love the praise of’ men more than the praise of GodI Ho7V can ye believe, saith the meek and lowly Jesus, How CAN ye believe who receive honour one of another y and seek not the honour that cometh from God only 7

In the character of a Christian, humility is the one thing needful. Where this is wanting, all is wanting. A proud, haughty spirit is inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel. It is the genius of that gospel, it is one grand design of all the dispensations of grace toward fallen man, to exalt him to glory, by first humbling him in the dust. He that exaUeth himself shall be abased, and he that humhleth himself shall be exalted.

Does the reader indulge the hope of having made his peace with God? Let him remember, that God is at peace with none, except the humble and contrite. He lifteth up the meek, but castfth the wicked down to the ground. iVo matter what are your professions; no matter how high your supposed attainments; if you have never felt the contrition of a broken heart, you have never tasted that the Lord is gracious. Still, you are

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not to reject the hope of your good estate, because you find much of the spirit of pride within you. Alas, how much of this detestable spirit have the best of Cod’s people! With this enemy will be our longest and severest conllict. It possesses so much of the cuiming of the Serpent, that it is perhaps less easily de,tected than any other form of depravity. When you have mortified it in one shape, you will find that it rises in another; and when you fondly hope it is dead, you will find that it has been secretly gathering strength, to commence the attack with new vigour, fresh courage, and perhaps greater success. Pride will live, until the Old Man is dead. It is the “ulce-” rated part of the body of sin and death.” It is the main spring to all the obstructions which impede our progress toward Heaven. It is the secret avenue through which the Tempter too often enters and leads the best of men astray. It is the “great inlet of the smoke from the bottom- “less pit,” which darkens the mind, casts a gloom around their fairest prospects, and sometimes leaves them awhile in the gloom of despondency. With this enemy will be your longest and severest conflict. Put on, therefore, the whole armoui* of God, and watch unto prayer. The claihinff.« of pride and humility should often drive the Christian to the throne of grace. Who can midersiand his errors? Cleanse Thou mc from secret faults! You may have much pride; but have you any humility? Be not deceived. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit 1 There is more hope of a fool than of him. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heriven.